Architectural panel construction



Feb 18, 1947; c. G. STRANDLUND 2,416,240

ARCHITECTURAL PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed sept. 4, 1945 J6 I Carl GSZrzzndhnd INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 18, 1947 UNITE-D STAT ARCHITECTURAL must. cous'rnucnon Carl G. Strandlund, Oak rain, 111., assigncr to Chicago Vitreous Enamel Product Company, a corporation of Illinois Application'septcmber 4, 1945, Serial no. 614,379

'1 The present invention relates generally to architectural porcelain enamel panels, but more particularly to a novel and improved construction and an arrangement of interlocking and sealing adjacent porcelain enamel panels, units or adjoining connecting parts of the exterior or interior walls of a building or structure of any type or design.

It has been the practice heretoforein the architectural porcelain enamel industry to provide special metal clips for attaching the porcelain enamel panels or units to the exterior or interior of a building and attempts have been made to seal the intervening or contiguous edges and corners of the panels or units with a waterproof caulking compound. This practice not only required trained experts to install the units. but

v 2 Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aperspective fragmentary and partly broken view showing the manner of interconnecting the panels or units together;

also proved unsatisfactory because the caulking compound between the panels or units did not provide for the expansion or contraction of the steel panels or units due to changes in temperature with the result that the caulking compound cracked and separated from the adjoiningpanels, thus breaking the seal and leaving an unsatisfactory appearance to the .whole wall structure.

It is.. therefore. one of the primary objects of the present invention to not only overcome the disadvantages hereinbefore pointed out, but. to

. also provide a novel construction or interlocking not require the services 'of a skilled artisan to install.

A still further object of the invention is to provide interfltting core of plastic composition between the adjacent panels or units which 'will insure a permanent seal and which will not crack or separate from the adjoining panels or units regardless of variations in temperature.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a construction and an arrangement of I the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational viewof one of the panels or units showing a portion of the adjacent panels or units;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 in Fig. 2; and I Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 in Fig. 3.

In illustrating one form my invention may assume in practice, I have shown the same as com- .prlsing a square panel or unit generally indicated ture of a building so that baseboards, ceilings,

window and door frames, copings and the like may be interlocked, sealed and insulated.

The panel or unit I0 is preferably made of flat sheet steel of suitable gauge, with the four corners thereof suitably cut out as shown at H prior to forming or bending the interlocking flanges hereinafter described. The panel "I has a relatively flat plane surface H with two of its adjacent lateral edges as shown at If and II bent at right angles to the plane surface I I. The inturned edges l3 and M are formed or connected to the plane surface I I of the panel by'a quarter circular curve as shown at IS. The inner portions of each'ofthe edges 13 and I4 terminate in outwardly projecting flanges l6 and H. The flanges l6 and I I occupy the same plane which is positioned parallel to and inwardly of the plane ll of the panel Ill. The other adjacent lateral edges of the panel II) are similarly bent at right angleas shown at l8 and- I9 with quarter circular curves therebetween as shown at 20. The

inner portions of each of the lateral edges 18 and I! are bent at right angles as shown at 2i and 22 respectively. The portions 2| and 22 lie in the same plane which is located inwardly by the flanges 26 and walls 2| and 22 on the re spective marginal edges 18 and I! are so an These portions 2| and 22 have their instructure. interlocked position with the sealing core interrfltted between the adjacent panels, a heated vulcanizing iron is placed on the severed ends 29 and 30 of the plastic core strips to completely 3 ranged or positioned that the flanges l8 and I1 j of the adjacent panels occupy central positions therein and the units or panels are held out of contact with a special form of sealing core generally indicated by the reference character 21.

This sealing core 21 may be made of a rubthe corners of the panels may-be vulcanized by the application of heat after the panels are installed for completely sealing the structure. This sealing core 21 is formed in relatively long strips, the cross section of which conforms with and is complementary to the channel-like recesses 25, flanges l6 and H, as well as the space 1 between the marginal edges of the adjacent panels or units as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. shape in cross section and is provided with a slot or slit 28 for the reception of the flanges l6 and ll of the panel or unit.

The core is substantially L- The sealing core is preferably cut into lengths as shown at 28 of substantially the length of the marginal edges of the panels and one, of the ends of each length is cut on a bevel of 45? as shown at 29 so as to correspondingly fit and lie contiguously to the similarly bevelled end of the adjacent length of core. core strip is cut off at right angles as shown at 30 so as to lie contiguously with the longitudinal Q side of the adjacent core strip as clearly shown 1 in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The other end of-the The flanges I! and of the panels are pro 1 vided with suitable spaced apart apertures 3| so that suitable nails or screws may be used to j fasten the panels to the superstructure or framework of the building.

After the sealing core strips 28 have been fitted onto the flanges I6 and I! by inserting these flanges into the slot 28 ofthe plastic core 1 21, the core 21 with the panel flanges l6 and H are then inserted into the outwardly projecting recesses 25 of the lower and lateral adjacent panels in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Suitable nails are then placed in the one ,or more of the exposed flanges 26 of the last positioned panel to secure the same to the super- After the panels are assembled in seal and make the structure air tight. In'this When the in-' This arinterlocking panels. The composition of the core also provides a yielding or flexible connection between the panels to allow for contraction and expansion as well as an eflicient insulation.

Summarizing the advantages of my improved interlocking and sealing porcelain enamel panel,

it will readily understood that I have provided a construction and an'arrangement which will will reduce to a minimum the cost and at the.

same time eliminate theicessity of repairs or redecoration.

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume" in practice, it will, of course, be understood that the same is capable of modification and that such modification maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Architectural interfltting panels comprising substantially flat polylateral members, outwardly projecting flat flanges formed on certain of the marginal edges of said panels, outwardly projecting U -shaped flanges formed on the other marginal edges of said panels, said flat flanges projecting into the recesses formed by the U-shaped flanges, and preformed resilient means between the marginal edges of the adjacent panels embracing said fiat flanges and yieldingly contacting said U-shaped flanges.

2. Architectural interfitting panels comprising substantially flat polylateral members, outwardly projecting flat flanges formed on certain of the marginal edges of said panels, outwardly projecting substantially U-shapedflanges formed on certain other marginal edges of said panels, said flat flanges extending into the central portions of the recesses formed by said U-shaped flanges, and preformed resilient means positioned between the marginal edges of the adjacent panels embracing said flat flanges and resiliently contacting said U-shaped'flanges.

3. An architectural panel construction comprising a plurality of substantially flat polylateral marginal edges of said panels, said flat flanges extending into the recesses of the next adjacent panels, and preformed resilient cores seated in said recesses and extending between the marginal edges of said panels, there being longitudinal slits in said cores for the reception of the flanges of the adjacent panels.

4. An architectural panel construction comprising a plurality of substantially flat steel members having their marginal portions bent at right angles to the flat portions thereof, certain marginal portions terminating in flat flanges projecting beyond the marginal edges of said members, certain other marginal portions bent inwardly and thence outwardly, terminating in outwardly projecting flanges, said last named marginal portions forming relatively large recesses therein for the reception of the thin flanges of the next adjacent members, and preformed resilient sealing cores snugly seated in said recesses and extending between the marginal edges of the adjacent panels and having flared-out portions contacting with the marginal edges of said adjacent members,-said cores having longitudinal slits on one side thereof for the reception of said flat flanges.

5,. An architectural interlocking panel con- 5 struction comprising a plurality of main substantially flat steel members, certain marginal pertions of said members bent and ofiset to form marginal flat flanges in the same plane parallel 'to the flat portions of said members, certain other marginal portions bent to form relatively large outwardly projecting substantially U- shaped recesses therein, said flat flanges extending into said U-shaped recesses, and pre-formed ,resilient sealing cores of a cross section complementaryto said recesses, snugl fitting the spaces between said flat flanges and the walls of said 'U-shaped recesses and the spaces between the marginal edges of the adjacent panels.

\ 6. Architectural interfitting panels comprising substantially flat polylateral members, outwardly projecting flat flanges formed on certain of the marginal edges of said panels, outwardly proj ectfile of this patent:

ing substantially U-shaped flanges formed on the other marginal edges of said panels, said flat flanges projecting into the recesses formed by the U-shaped flanges, and preformed resilient means between the marginal edges of the adjacent panels embracing said flat flanges and yieldingly contacting said U-shaped flanges, said resilient means having oppositely disposed flared out portions'contacting the marginal edges or the adjacent panels.

CARL G. STRANDLUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Wallace Mar. 9, 1937 

